Information management method

ABSTRACT

An information management method collects log information of one or more home electrical apparatuses corresponding to service providers. Display screen data is generated which indicates a status of the log information. The display screen data includes groups of information which each contain information on an apparatus, a service provider corresponding to the apparatus, and log information output from the apparatus. Provision of the log information of each group is individually selectable. The display screen data is provided via a network to a display terminal that performs access to a server device. Information is received from the display terminal, which indicates that selection on whether or not provision of the log information is performed. Provision of the log information is not performed on the selected group when a determination is made that refusal of provision of the log information on the selected group is performed.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/693,803,filed Mar. 14, 2022, which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 17/189,795, filed Mar. 2, 2021 and now U.S. Pat. No. 11,303,547issued Apr. 12, 2022, which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/355,069, filed Mar. 15, 2019 and now U.S. Pat. No.10,965,557 issued Mar. 30, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/673,748, filed Aug. 10, 2017 and now U.S. Pat.No. 10,284,442 issued May 7, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/740,065, filed Jun. 15, 2015 and now U.S.Pat. No. 9,762,459 issued Sep. 12, 2017, which is a continuation of Int.Pat. Appl. No. PCT/JP2014/002544, filed May 14, 2014, which claims thebenefit of Jap. Pat. Appl. No. 2013-151729, filed Jul. 22, 2013. Theentire disclosure of each of the above-identified documents isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an information management method thatis used in an information management system that provides services byusing log information of an apparatus possessed by a user.

2. Description of the Related Art

A system has been discussed that collects log information from homeelectrical apparatuses of ordinary homes and provides services that usethe collected log information. For example, Japanese Patent No. 4559195mentions a maintenance support system of a home electrical apparatus.Japanese Patent No. 4206953 mentions a performance degradationevaluation system of an air conditioning unit.

Those systems collect the log information of the home electricalapparatus by directly connecting the home electrical apparatus with acomputer. Meanwhile, in recent years, home electrical apparatuses, suchas audiovisual apparatuses in homes, that are capable of connecting witha network have been increasing. Consequently, a system has beendiscussed in which a manufacturer or a service provider collects variouskinds of log information including operation histories of the homeelectrical apparatuses such as the audiovisual apparatuses via thenetwork. It is expected that provision of services that match lifestylesof users be enabled based on the collected log information.

SUMMARY

However, the above systems are yet to be realized, and more discussionsand further improvements are needed for realization of those.

One non-limiting and exemplary embodiment provides a method ofappropriately managing service providers and so forth to which a useragrees to provide log information in a system that provides loginformation that is collected from a home electrical apparatus to theservice providers.

In one general aspect, the techniques disclosed here feature aninformation management method in an information management system thatcollects log information of a home electrical apparatus and providesinformation based on the log information to a computer of a serviceprovider, the information management method including: (1) collectingthe log information of one or more home electrical apparatuses of a uservia a network; (2) generating display screen data that indicate aprovision status of the log information of the home electricalapparatuses that correspond to service providers, the display screendata including information that configures one home electrical apparatusthat is included in the one or more home electrical apparatuses, oneservice provider that corresponds to the one home electrical apparatus,and one kind of the log information that is output from the one homeelectrical apparatus as a group and displays a section by which whetheror not provision of the log information is permissible is selectablewith respect to the group as a unit; (3) providing the display screendata to a display terminal that performs access to the informationmanagement system via the network in response to the access to theinformation management system; (4) receiving information that indicatesthat selection of whether or not provision of one kind of the loginformation of one home electrical apparatus that corresponds to oneservice provider is permissible is performed with respect to the groupas a unit in a display screen based on the display screen data from thedisplay terminal via the network; and (5) stopping provision of the loginformation with respect to the group in which selection of refusal isperformed in a case where a determination is made that the selection ofrefusal of provision of one kind of the log information of one homeelectrical apparatus that corresponds to one service provider isperformed with respect to the group as a unit.

One aspect of the present disclosure allows a user to select whether ornot to permit provision of log information with respect to a group as aunit because one kind of the log information of one home electricalapparatus that corresponds to one service provider is managed as agroup. This enables realization of a further improvement in a systemthat collects log information of a home electrical apparatus to providethe information to service providers.

Additional benefits and advantages of the disclosed embodiments willbecome apparent from the specification and drawings. The benefits and/oradvantages may be individually obtained by the various embodiments andfeatures of the specification and drawings, which need not all beprovided in order to obtain one or more of such benefits and/oradvantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram that illustrates a general image of a serviceproviding system in a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2A is a block diagram that illustrates a hardware configuration ofa server device;

FIG. 2B is a block diagram that illustrates a function configuration ofthe server device;

FIG. 3A is a block diagram that illustrates a hardware configuration ofa display terminal;

FIG. 3B is a block diagram that illustrates a function configuration ofthe display terminal;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram that illustrates a configuration of a homeelectrical apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram that illustrates a configuration of a gateway;

FIG. 6 is a diagram that illustrates an example of log information thatis generated by the home electrical apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a diagram that illustrates a data configuration example thatis stored in a log information retaining unit in the gateway;

FIG. 8 is a diagram that illustrates a table for managing informationabout apparatuses of a user;

FIG. 9 is a diagram that illustrates a table for managing serviceproviders, target home electrical apparatuses of collection of the loginformation, kinds of the log information, and information of purposesof use;

FIG. 10 is a diagram that illustrates a table configuration ofmanagement information;

FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram that illustrates an outline of a generaloperation of the system in the first embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram that illustrates details of an operationfor changing a provision permissibility setting of the log information;

FIG. 13 is a diagram that illustrates an example of a display screen;

FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram that illustrates an example of anoperation of the system in the first embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a sequence diagram that illustrates another example of theoperation of the system in the first embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart that illustrates an example of a process ofdetermining whether or not the log information is provided;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart that illustrates another example of the processof determining whether or not the log information is provided;

FIG. 18 is a diagram that illustrates a state of a change of one groupof information that is contained in the management information in thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a first diagram that illustrates an example of a change inthe display screen in the first embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a second diagram that illustrates an example of the change inthe display screen in the first embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a third diagram that illustrates an example of he change inthe display screen in the first embodiment;

FIG. 22 is a sequence diagram that illustrates an operation of a systemin a second embodiment;

FIG. 23 is a sequence diagram that illustrates another operation of thesystem in the second embodiment;

FIG. 24 is a diagram that illustrates a state of a change of one groupof information that is contained in the management information in thesecond embodiment;

FIG. 25 is a first diagram that illustrates an example of a change inthe display screen in the second embodiment;

FIG. 26 is a second diagram that illustrates an example of the change inthe display screen in the second embodiment;

FIG. 27 is a third diagram that illustrates an example of the change inthe display screen in the second embodiment;

FIG. 28A is a general configuration diagram of an information managementsystem in the present disclosure;

FIG. 28B is a diagram that illustrates an example of a change of a datacenter operating company in the present disclosure;

FIG. 28C is a diagram that illustrates an example of the change in thedata center operating company in the present disclosure;

FIG. 29 is a general configuration diagram of service type 1 of theinformation management system in the present disclosure;

FIG. 30 is a general configuration diagram of service type 2 of theinformation management system in the present disclosure;

FIG. 31 is a general configuration diagram of service type 3 of theinformation management system in the present disclosure; and

FIG. 32 is a general configuration diagram of service type 4 of theinformation management system in the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 1. Underlying Knowledge Forming Basis of thePresent Disclosure

The underlying knowledge forming basis of the present disclosure willfirst be described.

Various kinds of log information that are collected in a system thatcollects log information of home electrical apparatuses to provide thelog information to service providers (hereinafter also referred to as“information management system” or “service providing system”) areinformation related to privacy of a user and thus need to be strictlydealt with. The log information may not be collected without permission,and collection and provision of an individual piece of log informationto the service provider needs permission of the user.

In this case, for example, it may be assumed that some users agree toprovide the log information of the home electrical apparatuses to aservice provider A but do not agree to provide the log information to aservice provider B, that is, the users may want to set provisionpermissibility with respect to each of the service providers. Further,for example, it may be assumed that some users agree to provide the loginformation of the TV to the service provider but do not agree toprovide the log information of a refrigerator to the service provider,that is, the users may want to set the provision permissibility of thelog information with respect to each of the home electrical apparatuses.Otherwise, for example, it may be assumed that some users agree toprovide the log information about ON-OFF of the TV to the serviceprovider but do not agree to provide the log information about a viewhistory that indicates which programs the user views to the serviceprovider, that is, the users may want to set the provisionpermissibility with respect to each of the kinds of the log information.

Accordingly, if the provision permissibility may individually be setwith respect to each of the home electrical apparatuses, the kinds ofthe log information to be provided, and the service providers asprovision destinations, this enables provision of the log information inaccordance with the intention of the user.

However, when the provision permissibility is individually set asdescribed above, a process of changing settings is each time performedin the home electrical apparatus or a server in the system that collectsthe log information. Thus, a load to the home electrical apparatus orthe server may increase due to an increase in the number of processes.

Accordingly, in embodiments of the present disclosure, the serviceproviders as the provision destinations of the log information, the homeelectrical apparatuses, and the kinds of the log information to beprovided are managed as groups in the information management system thatmanages the log information that is collected from the home electricalapparatuses. Specifically, display screen data that contain sections bywhich the user may select whether or not to refuse to provide the loginformation to the service provider with respect to this group as a unitand that indicates a provision status of the log information of the homeelectrical apparatuses are provided to a display terminal that accessesthe information management system. That is, information that indicateswhether or not the user refuses to provide one kind of log informationthat corresponds to one home electrical apparatus to one serviceprovider is selected on the display terminal by the group as a unit.

Accordingly, it is not necessary to notify the server in the informationmanagement system by individually specifying each of the serviceproviders, the home electrical apparatuses, and the kinds of the loginformation to be provided when permissibility of provision of the loginformation is selected, and a notification may collectively beperformed for the group as a unit. Thus, a process frequency in theserver of the information management system and the display terminal maybe reduced, and process loads to a network that connects the informationmanagement system with the display terminal and to the server in theinformation management system may also be reduced.

2. Outline of Embodiments

Outlines of embodiments of the present disclosure will hereinafter bedescribed.

An information management method according to one aspect of the presentdisclosure is an information management method in an informationmanagement system that collects log information of a home electricalapparatus and provides information based on the log information to acomputer of a service provider, the information management methodincluding: (1) collecting the log information of one or more homeelectrical apparatuses of a user via a network; (2) generating displayscreen data that indicate a provision status of the log information ofthe home electrical apparatuses that correspond to service providers,the display screen data including information that configures one homeelectrical apparatus that is included in the one or more home electricalapparatuses, one service provider that corresponds to the one homeelectrical apparatus, and one kind of the log information that is outputfrom the one home electrical apparatus as a group and displays a sectionby which whether or not provision of the log information is permissibleis selectable with respect to the group as a unit; (3) providing thedisplay screen data to a display terminal that performs access to theinformation management system via the network in response to the accessto the information management system; (4) receiving information thatindicates that selection of whether or not provision of one kind of thelog information of one home electrical apparatus that corresponds to oneservice provider is permissible is performed with respect to the groupas a unit in a display screen based on the display screen data from thedisplay terminal via the network; and (5) stopping provision of the loginformation with respect to the group in which selection of refusal isperformed in a case where a determination is made that the selection ofrefusal of provision of one kind of the log information of one homeelectrical apparatus that corresponds to one service provider isperformed with respect to the group as a unit.

In the aspect, the display screen data may include information thatindicates the provision status of the log information with respect tothe group as a unit.

In the aspect, the display screen data that is regenerated such thatdisplay is made in a display format that indicates that provision of thelog information is not performed with respect to the group in whichselection of refusal is performed may be provided to the displayterminal via the network in a case where a determination is made thatthe selection of refusal of provision of the one kind of the loginformation of the one home electrical apparatus that corresponds to theone service provider is performed with respect to the group as a unit.

An information management method according to another aspect of thepresent disclosure is an information management method in an informationmanagement system that collects log information of a home electricalapparatus and provides information based on the log information to acomputer of a service provider, the information management methodincluding: (1) collecting the log information of one or more homeelectrical apparatuses of a user via a network; (2) generating displayscreen data that indicate a provision status of the log information ofthe home electrical apparatuses that correspond to service providers,the display screen data including information that configures one homeelectrical apparatus that is included in the one or more home electricalapparatuses, one service provider that corresponds to the one homeelectrical apparatus, and one kind of the log information that is outputfrom the one home electrical apparatus as a group and displays aprovision status of the log information with respect to the group as aunit and a section by which whether or not provision of the loginformation is permissible is selectable with respect to the group as aunit; (3) providing the display screen data to a display terminal thatperforms access to the information management system via the network inresponse to the access to the information management system; (4)receiving information that indicates that selection of whether or notprovision of one kind of the log information of one home electricalapparatus that corresponds to one service provider is permissible isperformed with respect to the group as a unit in a display screen basedon the display screen data from the display terminal via the network;(5) in a case where a determination is made that selection of refusal ofprovision of one kind of the log information of one home electricalapparatus that corresponds to one service provider is performed withrespect to the group as a unit, providing the display screen data thatis regenerated such that display is made in a first display format thatindicates that provision of the log information is not performed withrespect to the group to the display terminal via the network in a casewhere a determination is made that provision of the log information isnot started with respect to the group in which the selection of refusalis performed and providing, to the display terminal via the network, thedisplay screen data that is regenerated such that display is made by asecond display format which indicates that the log information isprovided until the last date of a provision period of the loginformation that is set with respect to the group and which is differentfrom the first display format in a case where a determination is madethat provision of the log information is already started with respect tothe group in which the selection of refusal is performed.

In the aspect, provision of the log information with respect to thegroup may be stopped after the last date of the provision period that isset with respect to the group in a case where a determination is madethat provision of the log information is already started with respect tothe group in which the selection of refusal is performed.

In the aspect, the display screen data that is regenerated such thatdisplay is made in a third display format which indicates that the loginformation is not provided with respect to the group and which isdifferent from the second display format may be provided to the displayterminal via the network in a case where a determination is made thatthe last date of the provision period is passed.

In the aspect, the first display format and the third display format maybe the same display format.

In the aspect, a date information that indicates a present date and aprovision start date information that indicates a date when theprovision period starts with respect to the group may be managed, thedate information may be compared with the provision start dateinformation, and a determination may be made that provision of the loginformation with respect to the group is not started in a case where adate that is indicated by the date information is earlier than a datethat is indicated by the provision start date information.

In the aspect, the date information and the provision start dateinformation may include information that indicates a time.

In the aspect, a determination may be made that provision of the loginformation with respect to the group is not started in a case where thedate that is indicated by the date information is the same as the datethat is indicated by the provision start date information and a timethat is indicated by the date information is earlier than a time that isindicated by the provision start date information.

In the aspect, a date information that indicates a present date and aprovision end date information that indicates the last date of theprovision period with respect to the group may be managed, the dateinformation may be compared with the provision end date information, anda determination may be made that the log information with respect to thegroup is provided in a case where a date that is indicated by the dateinformation is earlier than a date that is indicated by the provisionend date information after provision of the log information with respectto the group is started.

In the aspect, the date information and the provision end dateinformation may include information that indicates a time.

In the aspect, a determination may be made that the log information withrespect to the group is provided in a case where the date that isindicated by the date information is the same as the date that isindicated by the provision end date information and a time that isindicated by the date information is earlier than a time that isindicated by the provision end date information.

In the aspect, the display screen data may include a section by whichrefusal of provision of the log information is selectable with respectto the group as a unit and a section by which permission is selectable,and provision of the log information with respect to the group may beresumed in a case where information that indicates that selection topermit provision of the log information is performed with respect to thegroup is received after provision of the log information is stopped withrespect to the group in which the selection of refusal is performed.

An information management method according to another aspect of thepresent disclosure is an information management method in an informationmanagement system that collects log information of a home electricalapparatus and provides information based on the log information to acomputer of a service provider, the information management methodincluding: (1) collecting the log information of one or more homeelectrical apparatuses of a user via a network; (2) generating displayscreen data that indicate a provision status of the log information ofthe home electrical apparatuses that correspond to service providers,the display screen data which include information that configures onehome electrical apparatus that is included in the one or more homeelectrical apparatuses, one service provider that corresponds to the onehome electrical apparatus, and one kind of the log information that isoutput from the one home electrical apparatus as a group and displays asection by which whether or not provision of the log information ispermissible is selectable with respect to the group as a unit; (3)providing the display screen data to a display terminal that performsaccess to the information management system via the network in responseto the access to the information management system; (4) receivinginformation that indicates that selection of whether or not provision ofone kind of the log information of one home electrical apparatus thatcorresponds to one service provider is permissible is performed withrespect to the group as a unit in a display screen based on the displayscreen data from the display terminal via the network; and (5) startingprovision of the log information with respect to the group in whichselection of permission is performed in a case where a determination ismade that the selection of permission of provision of one kind of thelog information of one home electrical apparatus that corresponds to oneservice provider is performed with respect to the group as a unit.

In the aspect, provision of the log information may be started from aspecified provision start time in a case where a determination is madethat selection of permission of provision of the one kind of the loginformation of the one home electrical apparatus that corresponds to theone service provider is performed with respect to the group as a unitand a determination is made that a provision start time of the loginformation with respect to the group in which the selection ofpermission is performed is specified.

In the aspect, the display screen data may include information thatindicates the provision status of the log information with respect tothe group as a unit.

The embodiments of the present disclosure will hereinafter be describedfurther in detail with reference to attached drawings.

It should be noted that all the embodiments described below merelyillustrate specific examples of the present disclosure. Values, shapes,elements, steps, orders of steps, and so forth that are described in thefollowing embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended tolimit techniques of the present disclosure. Further, for example, theelements that are not described in the independent claims at filingamong the elements in the following embodiments will be described asarbitrary elements. Further, contents may mutually be combined in allthe embodiments.

3. Definitions of Terms

In this specification, terms are defined as follows:

Home electrical apparatus: an apparatus that uses electric power for athermal source, a light source, and a motive power source. The homeelectrical apparatuses are typically used in homes but may be used forbusiness purposes. Examples of the home electrical apparatuses mayinclude refrigerator, air conditioner, vacuum cleaner, air cleaner, TV,video recording-playback device (recorder), audio playback device,light, dryer, electric cooker, and so forth, for example.

Mobile communication apparatus: a communication apparatus that is notconnected with a communication line. The mobile communicationapparatuses are not limited to ones for individual users but includeones that are used for business purposes. Specifically, for example, themobile communication apparatus is an apparatus that is capable ofwireless communication such as cellular phone, smart phone, tabletterminal, PHS, laptop PC, or mobile router.

Log information: a record about process and operation that are performedby the home electrical apparatus and control of the home electricalapparatus that is performed by the user, and so forth. The loginformation may contain various kinds of information that may beobtained from the home electrical apparatuses such as information thatindicates an operating state or an operation date and time of the homeelectrical apparatus. Examples of the log information include a viewhistory of the TV, recoding programming information of the recorder, anoperating date and an amount of laundry of a washing machine, anopen-close date and time and an open-close frequency of therefrigerator, and so forth. The log information is not limited toinformation about an operation history but may be information other thanthe operation history such as a photograph of an internal portion of therefrigerator and the sex of the user that may be associated with thehome electrical apparatuses, for example.

Log information of mobile communication apparatus: a record about aprocess or communication that is performed by the mobile communicationapparatus or a record about movement information of the mobilecommunication apparatus. In a case where the mobile communicationapparatus is an apparatus like the smart phone, for example, the loginformation of the mobile communication apparatus is a record about aprocess of an application that is executed by the user by using theapparatus, information of viewed web pages, a call history, and soforth. Further, in a case where the mobile communication apparatus iscapable of connecting with a global positioning system (GPS), atransition record of position information of the mobile communicationapparatus by using the GPS is included in the log information of themobile communication apparatus.

User: a person that uses the service providing system, specifically, aperson that uses the service providing system to receive a service basedon provided log information and perform various kinds of settings aboutprovision of the log information. Such settings may include control forselecting a service provider that is permitted by the user to use thelog information of the home electrical apparatus. In an ordinary home, ahouseholder who contracts the service providing system may be the user,for example. In business use, a company, a legal person, and a naturalperson that contract the service providing system may be the users. Inan ordinary home, the user is a person who possesses the home electricalapparatuses that provide the log information, and a family (includingthe user) is persons who use the home electrical apparatuses. There arecases where the user is the same as and different from the person whouses the home electrical apparatuses. In the embodiments of the presentdisclosure, for convenience of description, it is assumed that the useris the same as the person who uses the home electrical apparatuses.

Display data or display screen data: arbitrary data to be displayed on adisplay. The data format is not limited to specific ones but may be dataof an exchangeable markup language (XML) format, text data, image data,and so forth, for example. “Display data” may be numerical data that donot conform to existing data formats. In a case where the displayterminal receives the numerical data to construct a user interface as adisplayed target, the numerical data may be referred to as “displaydata” or “display screen data”.

Display terminal: an information apparatus that has a function ofdisplaying information on a display. The display terminal may be anapparatus that has a built-in display or an apparatus that causes anexternal display to display information. The display terminal may besmart phone, tablet terminal, cellular phone, laptop personal computer,desktop personal computer, dedicated display terminal, and so forth, forexample. Other than the above, the home electrical apparatuses that areequipped with a display (refrigerator, washing machine, TV, and soforth) may be used as the display terminal, for example. Such homeelectrical apparatuses may not only output the log information but alsoperform a selection operation of the provision permissibility of the loginformation in the present disclosure. As described above, the displayterminal may not necessarily be a portable information terminal.

Cloud server or server device: a computer or a recording medium that iscommunicably connected with the display terminal via the network andprovides information that is necessary for the user to perform theselection operation of the provision permissibility of the loginformation to the display terminal. The cloud server or the serverdevice is typically realized by a combination of a general-purposecomputer and software (computer programs) that perform the aboveoperation.

Network: a network that is configured with a telecommunication line. Thenetworks include the Internet, leased lines, local area networks (LAN),and so forth. The network may be a combination of plural kinds ofnetworks regardless of wired or wireless types.

4. First Embodiment 4.1. Configuration 4.1.1. General Configuration

FIG. 1 is a diagram that illustrates a general image of a serviceproviding system in a first embodiment of the present disclosure. Theservice providing system includes a server device 200, a displayterminal 300, at least one home electrical apparatus 400, a home gateway500, and a computer 600 of a service provider. In the followingdescription, for simplicity, the home gateway 500 may be referred to as“gateway 500”, and the computer 600 of the service provider may bereferred to as “service provider 600”.

The server device 200 is a server computer that is installed in abuilding of a data center or a service providing company, for example.The server device 200 is configured to be capable of communicating withthe display terminal 300 that is possessed by the user and the gateway500 that is installed in a home or an office of the user via a network(NW). Further, the server device 200 is communicably connected with theservice provider 600 and a management database 700.

The server device 200 manages information that is necessary forproviding this service. The server device 200 collects ID informationand the log information of the home electrical apparatus 400 via thenetwork and the home gateway 500, performs necessary processes, andprovides those pieces of information to the computer of the serviceprovider 600. Further, the server device 200 provides a display screenfor confirming a provision status of the log information and for settingthe provision permissibility via the network to the display terminal 300in accordance with a demand of the user via the display terminal 300.When the user performs a setting about the provision permissibility ofthe log information on the display screen, the server device 200 recordsthe setting information in management information that is stored in themanagement database 700.

The display terminal 300 is an information terminal such as smart phone,tablet terminal, cellular phone, laptop PC, or desktop PC that ispossessed by the user, for example. The display terminal 300 obtains thedisplay screen data by a method such as logging in to a dedicatedwebsite that is provided by the server device 200 and then causes abuilt-in or external display to display the display screen based on thedisplay screen data. This enables the setting of the provisionpermissibility of the log information by the user.

The home electrical apparatus 400 and the home gateway 500 are installedin the home or the office of the user. The home gateway 500 collects theID information and the log information from the home electricalapparatus 400 and transmits the information to the server device 200periodically or in accordance with a demand from the server device 200.The log information may directly be transmitted from the home electricalapparatus 400 to the server device 200 not via the gateway.

The service provider 600 receives provision of the log information ofthe home electrical apparatus 400 from the server device 200 andprovides various services based on the log information to the user. Suchservices may include a service about maintenance of the apparatus,provision of information about a new product, and so forth, for example.The service provider 600 registers information about service provisionfor each of users in a management database 800 and thereby providesservices in accordance with the users.

Configurations of elements will be described in detail below.

4.1.2. Configuration of Server Device 200

FIG. 2A is a block diagram that illustrates a hardware configuration ofthe server device 200. The server device 200 includes a processingcircuit 280 and a communication circuit 290. The processing circuit 280has a CPU 270 and a memory 260 that stores a program 250. Those elementsare connected together by a bus and are capable of mutual supply andreception of data. The processing circuit 280 is connected with themanagement database 700 and is capable of obtaining and editing themanagement information that is stored in the management database 700. Inthis embodiment, the management database 700 is an external element ofthe server device 200 but may be an internal element of the serverdevice 200.

The communication circuit 290 is a circuit that performs communicationwith other communication apparatuses (for example, the display terminal300, the gateway 500. and the service provider 600) via the network. Thecommunication circuit 290 performs communication that conforms to theEthernet® standard, for example.

The CPU 270 controls an operation of the server device 200. The CPU 270executes a command group that is described in a computer program 250that is expanded in the memory 260. This allows the CPU 270 to realizevarious kinds of functions. The command group by which the server device200 realizes an operation described below is described in the computerprogram 250.

The above-described computer program 250 may be recorded in a recordingmedium such as CD-ROM and distributed in the market as a product or maybe transmitted through the telecommunication line such as the Internet.An apparatus (a PC, for example) that includes hardware illustrated inFIG. 2A reads in the computer program 250 and may thereby function asthe server device 200 according to this embodiment.

The CPU 270 and the memory 260 that stores the computer program 250 maybe realized as hardware such as a digital signal processor (DSP) that isa single semiconductor circuit incorporated with a computer program.Such a DSP may realize all processes performed by the CPU 270 thatexecutes the above-described computer program 250 by a single integratedcircuit. Such a DSP may be used as the processing circuit 280 instead ofthe CPU 270 and the memory 260 that are illustrated in FIG. 2A.

Next, a function configuration that is realized by the processingcircuit 280 will be described with reference to FIG. 2B.

FIG. 2B is a block diagram that illustrates the function configurationof the server device 200. The same reference numerals are provided toelements common to FIG. 2A, and a description thereof will not be made.FIG. 2B illustrates six function blocks that are realized by theprocessing circuit 280. Specifically, the six function blocks are acontrol unit 281, a date information comparison unit 282, a managementinformation retaining unit 283, a display data generation unit 284, adetermination unit 285, and an update unit 286. The CPU 270 thatexecutes the software functions as the date information comparison unit282 at a certain time point and functions as the update unit 286 atanother time point, for example. As described above, the CPU 270 has allthe functions of the six function blocks. At least one of those sixconfiguration blocks may be realized by hardware such as a DSP thatperforms a dedicated process.

The control unit 281 controls all the elements of the server device 200and thereby executes various processes that are necessary for collectionand processes of the log information, provision of the log informationto the service provider, and provision of the display screen data to thedisplay terminal 300.

The date information comparison unit 282 obtains date information thatindicates a present date, provision start date information thatindicates a date on which a provision period of each of the groups ofthe log information starts, and provision end date information thatindicates the last date of the provision period of each of the groupsand thereby determines the provision state of the log information basedon those pieces of information. Specifically, the date informationcomparison unit 282 compares the provision start date information andthe provision end date information in the management information that isobtained from the management database 700 by the management informationretaining unit 283 described below with present date information that isobtained from a timing circuit such as a real-time clock that is notillustrated. In a case where the date indicated by the date informationis earlier than the date indicated by the provision start dateinformation, a determination is made that provision of the loginformation with respect to the group is not started. Further, in a casewhere the date indicated by the date information is earlier than thedate indicated by the provision end date information after the provisionis started, a determination is made that provision of the loginformation with respect to the group is performed. Results of thosedeterminations are reflected in the display screen data that aregenerated by the display data generation unit 284.

The management information retaining unit 283 obtains the managementinformation for managing the provision status of the log informationfrom the management database 700 and temporarily retains the managementinformation. As described below, the management information isinformation that indicates the provision status of each of the groupsthat contains the home electrical apparatuses, provision destinationcompanies, and provided log kinds with respect to each of the users. Themanagement information is generated based on information of the users,companies, and so forth that is stored in the management database 700.

The display data generation unit 284 generates the display screen databased on information about the management information that is obtainedby the management information retaining unit 283 and the dates that areobtained by the date information comparison unit 282. The display screendata configure one home electrical apparatus, one service provider thatcorresponds to the one home electrical apparatus, and one kind of thelog information that is output from the one home electrical apparatus asthe group and contains information that displays a section by which theuser may select whether or not provision of the log information ispermissible with respect to the group as a unit. The generated displayscreen data are provided to the display terminal 300 via the controlunit 281 and the communication circuit 290.

When information that indicates selection of whether or not provision ofone kind of the log information of one home electrical apparatus thatcorresponds to one service provider is permissible is performed withrespect to the group as a unit on the display screen based on thedisplay screen data is transmitted from the display terminal 300, thedetermination unit 285 determines whether the selection indicatesrefusal or permission. The determination unit 285 then determineswhether provision of the log information is stopped or started inaccordance with a determination result.

The update unit 286 updates the management information in accordancewith the determination result by the determination unit 285. Forexample, in a case where the setting of provision of the log informationis changed from “permission” to “refusal” or from “refusal” to“permission” with respect to a certain group, the update unit 286updates the concerned portion of the management information. In responseto the update, the control unit 281 causes the communication circuit 290to execute a notification of information that indicates the change inthe setting to the service provider 600 and causes the display datageneration unit 284 to update the display screen data. The control unit281 records the management information that is updated by the updateunit 286 in the management database 700.

4.1.3. Configuration of Display Terminal 300

A configuration and a function of the display terminal 300 will next bedescribed.

FIG. 3A is a block diagram that illustrates a hardware configuration ofthe display terminal 300. The display terminal 300 includes a userinterface 310, a display 320, a processing circuit 340, and acommunication circuit 350. The processing circuit 340 has a CPU 341 anda memory 342 that stores a program 343.

The user interface 310 is a device that receives inputs from the userand may be a touch screen, hardware buttons, a keyboard, or a mouse, ora combination thereof, for example. The display 320 is a device thatdisplays a demanded image in accordance with a command from theprocessing circuit 340. The display 320 may be realized by a liquidcrystal display or an organic EL display, for example. In a case where atouch screen is employed as the display 320, the display 320 alsoincludes the function of the user interface 310.

The communication circuit 350 is a circuit that communicates with othercommunication apparatuses (for example, the communication circuit 290 inthe server device 200) via the network. The communication circuit 350performs communication that conforms to the Ethernet® standard, forexample.

The CPU 341 controls an operation of the display terminal 300. The CPU341 executes a command group that is described in a computer program 343that is expanded in the memory 342. This allows the CPU 341 to realizevarious kinds of functions. The command group by which the displayterminal 300 realizes an operation described below is described in thecomputer program 343.

The above-described computer program 343 may be recorded in a recordingmedium such as CD-ROM and distributed in the market as a product or maybe transmitted through the telecommunication line such as the Internet.In a case where the display terminal 300 is a smart phone or a tabletterminal, the computer program 343 may be sold or provided free ofcharge as an application. Other than those apparatuses, an apparatus (aPC, for example) that includes hardware illustrated in FIG. 3A reads inthe computer program 343 and may thereby function as the displayterminal 300 according to this embodiment.

The CPU 341 and the memory 342 that stores the computer program 343 maybe realized as hardware such as a digital signal processor (DSP) that isa single semiconductor circuit incorporated with a computer program.Such a DSP may realize all processes performed by the CPU 341 thatexecutes the above-described computer program 343 by a single integratedcircuit. Such a DSP may be used as the processing circuit 340 instead ofthe CPU 341 and the memory 342 that are illustrated in FIG. 3A.

Next, a function configuration that is realized by the processingcircuit 340 will be described with reference to FIG. 3B.

FIG. 3B is a block diagram that illustrates a function configuration ofthe display terminal 300. The same reference numerals are provided toelements common to FIG. 3A, and a description thereof will not be made.FIG. 3B illustrates three function blocks that are realized by theprocessing circuit 340. Specifically, the three function blocks are acontrol unit 346, a display screen generation unit 347, and atransmission data generation unit 348. The CPU 341 that executes thesoftware functions as the display screen generation unit 347 at acertain time point and functions as the transmission data generationunit 348 at another time point, for example. That is, the CPU 341 hasall the functions of the three function blocks. At least one of thosethree configuration blocks may be realized by hardware such as a DSPthat performs a dedicated process.

The display screen generation unit 347 generates images to be displayedon the display 320. The transmission data generation unit 348 generatesdata to be transmitted to the network via the communication circuit 350.The control unit 346 controls the elements of the display terminal 300and thereby executes various processes that are necessary fordeterminations of the home electrical apparatuses whose log informationis provided and the service providers as the provision destinations.

4.1.4. Configurations of Home Electrical Apparatus 400 and Home Gateway500

Next, configurations of the home electrical apparatus 400 and thegateway 500 will be described.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram that illustrates a configuration of the homeelectrical apparatus 400. The home electrical apparatus 400 includes aprocessing circuit 410 and a communication circuit 420. Although notillustrated in FIG. 4 , the processing circuit 410 may be realized by acombination of a CPU and a memory that stores a program. Alternatively,the processing circuit 410 may be realized by dedicated hardware that isconfigured to realize the following operation. The home electricalapparatus 400 may include elements for realizing functions demanded ofthe apparatus other than illustrated elements.

The communication circuit 420 is a circuit that performs communicationwith other communication apparatuses (for example, the gateway 500, arouter and a switching hub that are not illustrated, and so forth) viathe network. The communication circuit 420 performs communication thatconforms to the Ethernet® standard, for example. The communicationcircuit 420 transmits the log information and the ID information thatare generated by the processing circuit 410 to the gateway 500.

FIG. 4 illustrates three function blocks that are realized by theprocessing circuit 410. Specifically, the three function blocks are acontrol unit 411, an apparatus ID retaining unit (memory) 412, and a loginformation generation unit 413. The control unit 411 controls anoperation of the whole home electrical apparatus 400. For example, thecontrol unit 411 instructs the log information generation unit 413 togenerate the log information and instructs the communication circuit 420to transmit the log information. The apparatus ID retaining unit 412retains the ID information that identifies the home electricalapparatus. The log information generation unit 410 generates the loginformation such as information about the operation history, anattribute of the user, and information of an installation location.There may be various kinds of log information in accordance with theapparatuses. In this embodiment, the log information is not limited toparticular kinds.

A transmission timing of the log information that is generated by thelog information generation unit 413 may arbitrarily be defined. Forexample, the control unit 411 may transmit the log information after thelog information is accumulated to some extent in a memory of theapparatus ID retaining unit 412 or the like or may transmit the loginformation at each time when the state of the home electrical apparatus400 changes.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram that illustrates a configuration of thegateway 500. The gateway 500 includes a processing circuit 510 and acommunication circuit 520. Although not illustrated in FIG. 5 , theprocessing circuit 510 may be realized by a combination of a CPU and amemory that stores a program. Alternatively, the processing circuit 510may be realized by dedicated hardware that is configured to realize thefollowing operation.

The communication circuit 520 is a circuit that performs communicationwith other communication apparatuses (for example, the home electricalapparatus 400 and the server device 200) via the network. Thecommunication circuit 520 performs communication that conforms to theEthernet® standard, for example. The communication circuit 520 transmitsthe log information and the ID information that are transmitted from theprocessing circuit 510 to the server device 200.

FIG. 5 illustrates three function blocks that are realized by theprocessing circuit 510. Specifically, the three function blocks are acontrol unit 511, a gateway ID retaining unit 512, and a log informationretaining unit 513. The control unit 511 controls an operation of thewhole gateway 500. For example, the control unit 511 determines timingsof collection and transmission of the log information and provides aninstruction on transmission and reception to the communication circuit520. The gateway ID retaining unit 512 is a memory that stores a gatewayID for identifying the gateway. Because the home or office is identifiedby the gateway ID, the gateway ID may be considered as information thatidentifies the user. ID information that identifies individual users maybe managed other than the gateway ID. The log information retaining unit513 is a memory that accumulates the log information that is transmittedfrom the home electrical apparatus 400. In a case where plural homeelectrical apparatuses 400 are present, the log information of theapparatuses is collectively accumulated. The accumulated log informationmay be transmitted to the server device 200 via the network inaccordance with a demand from the server device 200 or on a preset dateand time, for example.

4.1.5. Data Configuration

Configuration examples of various data in this embodiment will next bedescribed.

FIG. 6 is a diagram that illustrates an example of the log informationthat is generated by the home electrical apparatus 400. The loginformation in this example contains an apparatus ID, home electricalapparatus kind information, and home electrical apparatus historyinformation. The apparatus ID is information that uniquely identifiesthe home electrical apparatus 400. A different value is given to adifferent apparatus even if this apparatus is the same kind of homeelectrical apparatus. The home electrical apparatus kind information isinformation that indicates the apparatus kind such as light, TV, airconditioner, washing machine, or refrigerator, for example. The homeelectrical apparatus history information is information that indicates acontent of the log information such as the operation history of theapparatus. The format of the home electrical apparatus historyinformation is predetermined. The home electrical apparatus historyinformation may be information that indicates the date and time when acertain operation is performed and the content of the operation, forexample. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6 , a format is adopted inwhich plural numerical values that respectively indicate year, month,day, hour, minute, and second are separated by colons (:) as date andtime information. Further, information that indicates operations (an“ON” control log for the light, information about views of programs suchas information indicating a genre such as “drama” and titles for the TV,and control and setting logs such as “ON”, “20° C.”, and “high” for theair conditioner) follows the date and time information. The format ofthe log information is not limited to the above but may arbitrarily bedefined. Such log information is transmitted from the home electricalapparatuses to the gateway 500. In a case where the gateway 500 is notprovided, the above log information is directly transmitted to theserver device 200.

FIG. 7 is a diagram that illustrates a data configuration example thatis stored in the log information retaining unit 513 in the gateway 500.As illustrated in FIG. 7 , the gateway 500 manages the apparatus IDs,the home electrical apparatus kind information, and the home electricalapparatus history information for each of the gateway Ds. The gateway500 transmits such data to the server device 200.

FIG. 8 illustrates a table stored in the management database 700 and formanaging information about the apparatuses of the user. This tablerepresents the gateway ID that identifies the user (or the installationlocation), the apparatus IDs of the home electrical apparatuses whoselog information is provided, and the home electrical apparatus kinds.The table may automatically be updated at each time when the serverdevice 200 collects the log information, for example. Alternatively, thetable may manually be created and updated.

FIG. 9 illustrates a table stored in the management database 700 and formanaging the service providers (provision destination companies), thetarget home electrical apparatuses (home electrical apparatus kinds) ofcollection of the log information, kinds of the log information(provision log kinds), and information of purposes of use. The table iscreated by the server device 200.

FIG. 10 illustrates a table configuration of the management informationthat is stored in the management database 700. The managementinformation in this example contains information of the gateway ID, theapparatus IDs, log provision permissibility. log provision statuses, theprovision destination companies, the home electrical apparatus kinds,the provision log kinds, the purposes of use, provision end dates, andprovision start dates. The server device 200 generates such managementinformation by combining the above two tables that are stored in themanagement database 700. The management information may be configured inany format as long as the home electrical apparatuses of each of theusers, the service providers that correspond to the home electricalapparatuses, and the kinds of the log information are set as groups andthe provision permissibility of each of the groups is managed. Theserver device 200 generates the display screen data that are transmittedto the display terminal 300 based on such management information.

4.2. Operation 4.2.1. Outline of General Operation

Next, an information management system in this embodiment will bedescribed.

FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram that illustrates an outline of a generaloperation of the system. Here, a case is assumed where the selection ofwhether or not provision of the log information is permissible isperformed after the operation of collection and provision of the loginformation.

First, in step S100, the home electrical apparatus 400 transmits the loginformation to the gateway 500. The log information may be transmittedfrom the plural home electrical apparatuses 400 to the gateway 500 inplural times, for example. In following step S110, the gateway 500collectively transmits pieces of the collected log information to theserver device 200. This transmission may be performed in a prescribedfrequency such as once a day or once a week, for example. Alternatively,the transmission may be performed at a point when a demand of the loginformation is provided from the server device 200. Further, thetransmission may be performed each point when a log is produced in orderto immediately providing the service in accordance with a control log.In next step S120, the server device 200 provides the collected loginformation to the service provider 600. In FIG. 11 , only the singleservice provider 600 is illustrated as an example. However, in a casewhere plural service providers that receive provision of the loginformation are present, necessary log information is transmitted to theservice providers. In this case, the server device 200 determines whichlog information is transmitted to which service provider based on themanagement information illustrated in FIG. 10 . Operations of steps S100to S120 may periodically or not periodically be performed.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 11 , subsequently in step S200, anoperation of a setting change of the provision permissibility of the loginformation is performed. In step S200, the display terminal 300 and theserver device 200 performs an operation necessary for changing thesetting of the provision permissibility of the log information.Specifically, in response to access by the user by using the displayterminal 300, the server device 200 transmits the display screen datafor the setting change to the display terminal 300. The user selectswhether or not provision of the log information is permissible withrespect to the group as a unit that is defined by the home electricalapparatus, the service provider, and the kind of the log information bya screen that is displayed based on the display screen data. When theserver device 200 receives information that indicates a selectioncontent of the provision permissibility with respect to the group as aunit, the server device 200 performs a setting change process,regenerates the display screen data, and transmits the display screendata to the display terminal 300.

When the change of the setting of the provision permissibility of thelog information is completed, the server device 200 determines whetheror not provision of the log information is permitted with respect toeach of the groups in step S300 when the server device 200 transmits thelog information to the service provider 600. The group with permissionprovides the log information to the service provider 600, and the groupwithout permission does not provide the log information to the serviceprovider 600.

The operation in step S200 in FIG. 11 will be described in detail below.

FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram that illustrates details of the operationin step S200 for changing a provision permissibility setting of the loginformation. The display terminal 300 first accesses the server device200 by control by the user (step S201). Here, “access” means demandingthe display screen data from the server device 200. Accessing the serverdevice 200 may also be referred to as “accessing the informationmanagement system”. Access to the server device 200 may be performed bylogging in of the user to a dedicated web page that is provided by theserver device 200, for example. When the server device 200 receives thedemand from the display terminal 300. the server device 200 generatesthe display screen data based on the management information (step S202).The server device 200 may in advance generate the display screen dataprior to step S201. The server device 200 transmits the display screendata to the display terminal 300 (step S203). The display terminal 300displays the display screen based on the display screen data on thedisplay.

FIG. 13 is a diagram that illustrates an example of the display screenthat is displayed in this case. The display screen contains informationthat indicates the provision status with respect to each of the groupsthat is configured with the service provider (provision destinationcompany), the home electrical apparatus (home electrical apparatuskind), and the kind of the log information (provision log kind). Theprovision status contains information of categories such as providing,waiting for effective date, and provision stopped and date informationsuch as a new provision start date, the provision end date, and aprovision resumption date. The display screen further contains thesections by which the user may select whether or not provision of thelog information is permissible with respect to each of the group(“refuse to provide” section and “resume providing” section). Thosesections are displayed in a format of a checkbox and are configured suchthat “refuse to provide” may be selected for the group that is providingthe log information and “resume providing” may be selected for the groupin which the provision is stopped. The group for which either one of“refuse to provide” and “resume providing” is selected but the selectionis yet to be effective obtains a status of “waiting for effective date”,in which either one of “refuse to provide” and “resume providing” may beselected.

The configuration of the display screen may be different from the oneillustrated in FIG. 13 . For example, only a portion of informationillustrated in FIG. 13 may be displayed. Further, display andnon-display of some items may be switched by selection of the user. Theconfiguration of the display screen may arbitrarily designed as long asthe display screen configures one home electrical apparatus, one serviceprovider that corresponds to the one home electrical apparatus, and onekind of the log information that is output from the one home electricalapparatus as the group and contains a section by which the user mayselect whether or not provision of the log information is permissiblewith respect to the group as a unit.

Such a display screen allows the user to change the setting of theprovision permissibility of the log information. The change of thesetting is realized by entering a check mark in the checkbox of thesection of “refuse to provide” or “resume providing” and pressing anupdate button 130. This operation causes the display terminal 300 totransmit information that indicates that the setting of permissibilityof log information provision is changed with respect to each of thegroups to the server device 200 (step S205).

When the server device 200 receives the information, the server device200 determines which of refusal or permission is selected with respectto each of the groups in which the setting is changed (step S206). Aprocess of stopping provision of the log information to the serviceprovider is performed for the group in which refusal is selected (stepS207). Specifically, the server device 200 updates the managementinformation illustrated in FIG. 10 and notifies the service provider ofthe change of the setting. The server device 200 thereafter regeneratesthe display screen data that indicate that the log information is notprovided with respect to the group (step S208).

On the other hand, a process of starting provision of the loginformation to the service provider is performed for the group in whichpermission is selected in step S206 (step S209). Specifically, theserver device 200 updates the management information illustrated in FIG.10 and notifies the service provider of the change of the setting. Theserver device 200 thereafter regenerates the display screen data thatindicate that the log information is provided with respect to the group(step S210).

The server device 200 next transmits (again provides) the regenerateddisplay screen data to the display terminal 300 (step S211).Accordingly, the display terminal 300 displays the display screen basedon the display screen data on the display. The screen that is displayedin this case is a screen in which the category is changed to “waitingfor effective date” and a date is added to the section of “provision enddate” or “provision resumption date” with respect to the group in whichthe selection of whether or not provision is permissible is performed,for example.

4.2.2. Example of Operation in Case of Refusal of Provision

Next, a description will be made particularly about a case where theprovision permissibility is changed from “permission” to “refusal” amongoperations of changing the provision permissibility of the loginformation.

FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram that illustrates an example of anoperation in which a determination is made whether or not the loginformation is provided when refusal of provision of the log informationis selected and the display data of different display formats aregenerated in accordance with the determination results. The operationsof steps S201 to S203 are the same as the corresponding operations inFIG. 12 . In this example, the display terminal 300 selects refusal ofprovision of the log information with respect to a specified group inresponse to control by the user (step S220). The display terminal 300then transmits information that indicates that the user refuses toprovide the log information with respect to the group (step S221).

When the server device 200 receives the information, the server device200 determines whether or not the group is in a state where the loginformation is provided at a present point (step S222). If the group isnot in the state where the log information is provided, the serverdevice 200 regenerates the display screen data that indicate that thelog information is again not provided (step S223). The display formatbased on such display screen data with respect to the group will bereferred to as “first display format”. On the other hand, in a casewhere a determination is made that the group is in the state where thelog information is provided, the server device 200 regenerates thedisplay screen data that indicate the last date of the provision period(step S224). The display format based on such display screen data withrespect to the group will be referred to as “second display format”. Theserver device 200 thereafter transmits (again provides) the displayscreen data to the display terminal 300 (step S225).

FIG. 15 is a sequence diagram that illustrates an operation example in acase where the display terminal 300 again accesses the server device 200after a process of step S224 is performed in FIG. 14 . The displayterminal 300 first accesses the server device 200 and demands thedisplay screen data (step S241). The server device 200 determineswhether or not the last date of the provision period of the loginformation that is set for the group is passed at a present date (stepS242). In a case where the server device 200 determines that the lastdate of the provision period of the log information is passed, theserver device 200 generates the display screen data that indicate thatthe last date of the provision period is passed (step S243). The displayformat based on such display screen data with respect to the group willbe referred to as “third display format”. On the other hand, in a casewhere the server device 200 determines that the last date of theprovision period of the log information is not passed, the server device200 regenerates the display screen data that indicate the last date ofthe provision period (step S244). The display format based on suchdisplay screen data with respect to the group is the above-describedsecond display format. In other words, in this case, the display formatwith respect to the group does not change. The server device 200thereafter transmits (again provides) the display screen data to thedisplay terminal 300 (step S245).

FIG. 16 is a flowchart that illustrates details of a process of stepS222 in FIG. 14 . In an example illustrated in FIG. 16 , the serverdevice 200 first obtains information of the provision start date foreach of the groups in which refusal is selected (step S401). Theinformation of the provision start date is the date information that isset when provision of the log information with respect to the group ispermitted (for example, when an application to the service is made orwhen resumption is set) and that defines the start date of the loginformation provision. The start date of provision of the loginformation is in general set to a date after the application is made orthe resumption is set. Thus, it may be assumed that there are some userswho once permit provision of the log information but come to want torefuse before the provision start date. Thus, the server device 200obtains the provision start date information with respect to each of thegroups in order to determine whether or not provision of the loginformation is started at the point when the setting of refusal is made.The server device 200 determines whether or not the present date isearlier than the provision start date (step S402). In a case where adetermination is Yes here, the server device 200 determines thatprovision of the log information is yet to be started (step S403). Onthe other hand, in a case where a determination is No in step S402, theserver device 200 determines that provision of the log information isalready started (step S404).

FIG. 17 is a flowchart that illustrates another example of the processof step S222 in FIG. 14 . In the example illustrated in FIG. 17 , theserver device 200 first obtains information of the provision end datefor each of the groups in which refusal is selected (step S501). Theserver device 200 next determines whether or not the present date islater than the provision end date (step S502). In a case where adetermination is Yes here, the server device 200 determines thatprovision of the log information is finished (step S503). On the otherhand, in a case where a determination is No in step S502, the serverdevice 200 determines that provision of the log information is yet to befinished (step S504).

The server device 200 performs at least one of the processes illustratedin FIGS. 16 and 17 and may thereby make a determination about theprovision state of the log information. In this embodiment, the serverdevice 200 itself makes a determination about the provision state of thelog information by comparing the dates. However, embodiments are notlimited to such an example. For example, another device may make asimilar determination and update the management information, and theserver device 200 may thereby make a determination about the provisionstate based on information of the log provision status of the updatedmanagement information.

4.2.3. Change of Management Information

Next, a description will be made about how contents of the managementinformation are specifically changed by the above operations.

FIG. 18 illustrates a state of a change in one group of information thatis contained in the management information. Here, only the group of“provision destination company: company L, home electrical apparatuskind: light, and provision log kind: lighting time” is illustrated as anexample, and other groups are not illustrated. With respect to thisgroup, the log provision permissibility is set to “permission” and thelog provision status is set to “providing” before the setting of theprovision permissibility of the log information is updated (FIG. 18(1)). Here, in a case where the provision permissibility of the loginformation of the group is changed to “refusal” by control by the user,the server device 200 changes the log provision permissibility of themanagement information to “refusal” and adds information of the datewhen provision of the log information is finished in the section of theprovision end date (FIG. 18 (2)). Here, the provision end date may bethe date one week after the present date, the last date of a month, orthe date of the week that is defined by the service provider in one weekfrom the present date, for example. The log provision status is still“providing” until the provision end date passes. When the provision enddate is passed, the server device 200 changes the log provision statusto “provision stopped” and deletes information of the provision enddate.

As described above, the management information is updated in accordancewith control for changing the setting by the user. Accordingly, thedisplay screen data generated by referring to the management informationis also changed. The user may confirm the present status with respect toeach of the groups by referring to the display screen.

In the above example, a case where the log provision permissibility ischanged from “permission” to “refusal” is assumed. However, in a case ofa reverse change from “refusal” to “permission”, the managementinformation is updated by a similar concept. In this case, the sectionof the provision resumption date is used instead of the provision enddate.

The system may be designed such that concepts such as the provision enddate and the provision resumption date are not provided and provision isimmediately finished or resumed. In such a case, the server device 200immediately changes the management information from the state of FIG. 18(1) to the state of FIG. 18 (3), for example.

4.2.4. Change of Display Screen

Next, the change of the display screen in response to the aboveoperations will be described further in detail with reference to FIGS.19 to 21 . In FIGS. 19 to 21 , bold grid lines that surround one groupis added for easy understanding and are not necessarily indicated in anactual screen. Further, to avoid a complicated description, it isassumed that there is no change in the statuses of the other groups thanthe focused group.

FIG. 19 illustrates the display screen that is displayed immediatelyafter a check mark is entered in “refuse to provide” of the highestgroup (provision destination company: company L, home electricalapparatus kind: light, and provision log kind: lighting time) and theupdate button 130 is pressed. Here, the display terminal 300 is waitingfor a response from the server device 200 after the display terminal 300transmits information about the setting change to the server device 200.In this state, the category changes to “reporting” with respect to thegroup, and the user may thereby confirm that communication is beingperformed.

FIG. 20 illustrates the display screen that is displayed after an updateprocess of the management information in the server device 200 iscompleted and the response is provided from the server device 200. Inthis state, the group in which the selling is changed moves to a columnfor the category of “waiting for effective date”, and a date is added tothe section of the provision end date. Further, a check box forresumption of provision is added. The user enters a check mark in thecheck box, and provision of the log information may thereby be resumed.This state is subsequently maintained with respect to the group untilthe provision end date. This display format corresponds to the above“second display format”.

FIG. 21 illustrates a state that is obtained after the provision enddate is passed in the above example. In this state, the group moves to acolumn of the category of “provision stopped”, and the section of theprovision end date changes to “done (end date 2013.3.15)”. This state issubsequently maintained with respect to the group until the userperforms control for resuming providing the log information. Thisdisplay format corresponds to the above “third display format”.

4.3. Effects and So Forth

As described above, an information management method of this embodimentenables management of the provision permissibility of the loginformation with respect to each of the groups. In a case where theserver device 200 determines that selection of refusal of provision ofone kind of the log information of one home electrical apparatus 400that corresponds to one service provider 600 is performed with respectto the group as a unit, the server device 200 stops provision of the loginformation with respect to the group in which the selection of refusalis performed.

Accordingly, it is not necessary to individually specify the serviceprovider 600, the home electrical apparatus 400, and the kind of the loginformation when the user selects refusal of provision of the loginformation, and the user may collectively perform selection for thegroup as a unit. Thus, a process frequency in the server device 200 andthe display terminal 300 may be reduced, and process loads to thenetwork and the server device 200 may also be reduced. Further, the usermay avoid inconvenience in individually selecting refusal of provisionfor each of the service provider 600, the home electrical apparatus 400,and the kind of the log information.

Further, in a case where the server device 200 determines that selectionof refusal of provision of the log information is performed with respectto the group as a unit and determines that provision of the loginformation is yet to be started with respect to the group in whichrefusal is selected, the server device 200 regenerates the displayscreen data such that display is made in the first display format thatindicates that the log information is not provided with respect to thegroup and provides the display screen data to the display terminal 300.On the other hand, in a case where the server device 200 determines thatthe log information is already provided with respect to the group inwhich refusal is selected, the server device 200 regenerates the displayscreen data such that display is made in the second display format thatindicates that the log information is provided until the last date ofthe provision period of the log information that is set with respect tothe group and provides the display screen data to the display terminal300.

This enables prevention of incorrect control due to misunderstandingthat provision of the log information is already stopped at a point whenrefusal is selected in a case where provision of the log information isalready started. For example, this allows the user to recognize thatprovision of the log information actually continues until the last dateof the provision period although one service provider 600, one homeelectrical apparatus 400, and one kind of the log information for whichrefusal of provision is selected as the group as a unit are displayed asa provision refusal state on the display screen.

5. Second Embodiment

A second embodiment of the present disclosure will next be describedwith reference to FIGS. 22 to 26 . In this embodiment, in addition tothe operations in the first embodiment, provision of the log informationmay be resumed after refusal of provision is once selected. Aconfiguration of a system in this embodiment is the same as the firstembodiment. Different points from the first embodiment will mainly bedescribed below, and a description about common matters will not bemade.

FIG. 22 is a sequence diagram that illustrates an operation in thisembodiment. In this embodiment, the server device 200 determines whetheror not the log information is provided after selection of refusal ofprovision of the log information is completed and generates the displaydata of different display formats in accordance with the determinationresults. The operations of steps S201 to S203 are the same as thecorresponding operations in FIGS. 12 and 14 , and a description will notbe made.

In this embodiment, the display terminal 300 selects permission ofprovision of the log information with respect to a specified group inresponse to control by the user (step S620). The display terminal 300then transmits information that indicates that the user permits toprovide the log information with respect to the group (step S621).

When the server device 200 receives the information, the server device200 determines whether or not the group is in a state where the loginformation is provided at the present point (step S622). In a casewhere the group is not in the state where the log information isprovided, the server device 200 regenerates the display screen data thatindicate the start date of the provision period (resumption date) (stepS623). On the other hand, in a case where a determination is made thatthe group is in the state where the log information is provided, theserver device 200 regenerates the display screen data that indicate thatprovision of the log information continues (step S624). The serverdevice 200 thereafter transmits (again provides) the display screen datato the display terminal 300 (step S625).

FIG. 23 is a sequence diagram that illustrates an operation example in acase where the display terminal 300 again accesses the server device 200after a process of step S623 is performed in FIG. 22 . The displayterminal 300 first accesses the server device 200 and demands thedisplay screen data (step S741). The server device 200 determineswhether or not the start date of the provision period of the loginformation that is set for the group is passed at the present date(step S742). In a case where the server device 200 determines that thestart date of the provision period of the log information is passed, theserver device 200 generates the display screen data that indicate thatthe start date of the provision period is passed (step S743). On theother hand, in a case where the server device 200 determines that thestart date of the provision period of the log information is not passed,the server device 200 regenerates the display screen data that indicatethe start date of the provision period (step S744). The server device200 thereafter transmits (again provides) the display screen data to thedisplay terminal 300 (step S745).

A method of a determination process of whether or not the loginformation is provided in step S622 in FIG. 22 is the same as themethod that is described with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17 , and thus adescription will not be made.

Next, a description will be made about how contents of the managementinformation are specifically changed by the above operations.

FIG. 24 illustrates a state of a change in one group of information thatis contained in the management information. Here, only the group of“provision destination company: company L, home electrical apparatuskind: light, and provision log kind: lighting time” is also illustratedas an example, and other groups are not illustrated. With respect tothis group, the log provision permissibility is set to “refusal” and thelog provision status is set to “provision stopped” before the setting ofthe provision permissibility of the log information is updated (FIG. 24(1)). Here, in a case where the provision permissibility of the loginformation of the group is changed to “permission” by control by theuser, the server device 200 changes the log provision permissibility ofthe management information to “permission” and adds information of thedate when provision of the log information is started in the section ofthe provision resumption date (FIG. 24 (2)). Here, the provisionresumption date may be the date one week after the present date, thefirst date of a month, or the date of the week that is defined by theservice provider in one week from the present date, for example. The logprovision status is still “provision stopped” until the provisionresumption date passes. When the provision resumption date is passed,the server device 200 changes the log provision status to “providing”and deletes information of the provision resumption date.

Next, the change of the display screen in response to the aboveoperations will be described with reference to FIGS. 25 to 27 .

FIG. 25 illustrates the display screen that is displayed immediatelyafter a check mark is entered in “resume providing” of the group inwhich a process of refusal of provision of the log information iscompleted (provision destination company: company L, home electricalapparatus kind: light, and provision log kind: lighting time) and theupdate button 130 is pressed. Here, the display terminal 300 is waitingfor a response from the server device 200 after the display terminal 300transmits information about the setting change to the server device 200.In this state, the category changes to “reporting” with respect to thegroup.

FIG. 26 illustrates the display screen that is displayed after an updateprocess of the management information in the server device 200 iscompleted and the response is provided from the server device 200. Inthis state, the group in which the selling is changed is changed to thecategory of “waiting for effective date”, and a date is added to thesection of the provision resumption date. Further, a check box forrefusal of provision is added. The user enters a check mark in the checkbox, and refusal of provision of the log information may thereby beagain selected. This state is subsequently maintained with respect tothe group until the provision resumption date.

In a case where the user again selects refusal of provision in thisstate and presses the update button, the group is displayed in the“first display format” that indicates that the log information is notprovided. The first display format may be the same display format as thethird display format that is applied to the group in FIG. 21 but may bedifferent.

FIG. 27 illustrates a state that is obtained after the provisionresumption date is passed in the above example. In this state, the groupmoves to a column of the category of “providing”, and the section of theprovision resumption date changes to “done (resumption date 2013.6.15)”.This state is subsequently maintained with respect to the group untilthe user performs control for refusing to provide the log information.

As described above, this embodiment allows the group in which refusal ofprovision of the log information is selected to resume provision.Further, the setting may be returned to refusal after control forresumption of provision is performed and until the provision resumptiondate. Because information such as the provision state and the provisionresumption date with respect to each of the groups may be understood bya quick view, this enables avoidance of incorrect control due tomisunderstanding that the resumption is already started even thoughprovision of the log information is yet to be resumed, for example.

6. Another Example of Service Providing System

A description will be made below about another example of a serviceproviding system to which the techniques of the present disclosure maybe applied.

FIG. 28A is a diagram that illustrates a general image of the serviceproviding system. The service providing system includes pluralinformation apparatuses that are respectively provided in a user group100, a data center operating company 110, and a service provider 120.

The user group 100 is a company, a party, a home, or the like, forexample, regardless of a scale. The user group 100 includes plural homeelectrical apparatuses 101 that include an apparatus A and an apparatusB and a home gateway 102. Each of the plural home electrical apparatuses101 has a communication function and is capable of transmission andreception of data with other apparatuses. The plural home electricalapparatuses 101 may include apparatuses that have a configuration and afunction for directly connecting with the Internet and apparatuses thatdo not have such configuration and function. The apparatuses thatcorrespond to the ones that have the configuration and the function fordirectly connecting with the Internet may be smart phone, tabletterminal, dedicated display terminal, personal computer (PC), or TV, forexample. The apparatuses that correspond to the ones that do not havethe configuration and the function for directly connecting with theInternet may be light, washing machine, or refrigerator, for example. Asdescribed above, there may be an apparatus that becomes connectable withthe Internet via the home gateway 102. The plural home electricalapparatuses 101 in the user group 100 are used by one or more users 10.The user 10 is described for convenience of description and is notincluded in the service providing system.

The home gateway 102 receives the log information about an operation ofthe apparatus from each of the plural home electrical apparatuses 101and transmits the log information to a cloud server 111. The homegateway 102 accumulates the log information and provides the accumulatedlog information to the cloud server 111 once a day, for example.

FIG. 28A illustrates the single home gateway 102. However, this ismerely one example. Plural home gateways may be present. In a case wherethe plural home gateways are present, another home gateway (child homegateway) may be connected with the home gateway that is connected withan external network (parent home gateway), for example. The child homegateway receives the log information from the single or pluralapparatuses among the plural home electrical apparatuses 101 andaccumulates the log information and uploads the log information to aserver through the parent home gateway. Alternatively, the child homegateway may output signals for controlling the single or pluralapparatuses among the plural home electrical apparatuses 101 via theparent home gateway.

The data center operating company 110 includes the cloud server 111. Thecloud server 111 is a virtual server that cooperates with variousapparatuses via the Internet, for example. The cloud server 111 mainlymanages very large data groups (so-called “big data”) and so forth thatexisting general techniques typically represented by usual databasemanagement tools and so forth have difficulty in handling. The datacenter operating company 110 performs data management, management of thecloud server 111, an operation of the data center that performs suchmanagement, and so forth. Work that the data center operating company110 performs will be described in detail below.

The data center operating company 110 is not limited to a company thatperforms only the data management and the operation of cloud server 111.FIGS. 28B and 28C illustrate modification examples of the data centeroperating company 110. FIG. 28B illustrates an apparatus manufacturerthat functions as the data center operating company 110. In a case wherean apparatus manufacturer that develops and manufactures the apparatusincluded in the plural home electrical apparatuses 101 also performsdata management, management of the cloud server 111, and so forth, theapparatus manufacturer corresponds to the data center operating company110. Further, FIG. 28C illustrates plural companies that cooperativelymanage the single cloud server 111. As described above, the data centeroperating company 110 is not limited to a single company. In a casewhere an apparatus manufacturer and another management companycooperatively or partially perform data management and the operation ofthe cloud server 111, both of those correspond to the data centeroperating company 110. Even if the apparatus manufacturer and the othermanagement company cooperatively or partially perform data managementand management of the cloud server 111, only either one of the apparatusmanufacturer and the management company may function as the data centeroperating company 110. Further, the data center operating company 110may have a function of the service provider.

The above-described cloud server 111 may be realized not only as acomputer that is hardware but also as software in which necessaryfunctions for the cloud server 111 are programmed.

The service provider 120 possesses a server 121. The scale of the server121 in this case does not matter as long as the server 121 means acomputer or a recording medium that has a function of providing data ora service based on the data. For example, considering that data may beprovided by using a private PC, the private PC itself or a memory or thelike in the private PC may also be included in “server”. Further, theremay be a case where the service provider 120 does not possess the server121.

It should be noted that the home gateway 102 is not essential in theabove service providing system. For example, in a case where the cloudserver 111 performs the whole data management, the home gateway 102 isnot necessary. Further, in a case where all apparatuses in the home havea configuration and a function for connecting with the Internet andthere is no apparatus that is not itself capable of connecting with theInternet, the home gateway 102 may be omitted. The log information maydirectly be provided from the plural home electrical apparatuses 101 tothe cloud server 111 via the Internet.

A flow of information in the above service will next be described.

First, the apparatus A or the apparatus B of the user group 100transmits the log information to the cloud server 111 of the data centeroperating company 110. The cloud server 111 receives and accumulates thelog information that is transmitted from the apparatus A or theapparatus B (arrow (a) of FIG. 28A).

Next, the cloud server 111 of the data center operating company 110provides the accumulated log information to the service provider 120 bya certain unit. Here, “certain unit” may be a unit of the accumulatedinformation that may be arranged by the data center operating companyand then provided to the service provider 120 or a unit that is demandedby the service provider 120. A description is made as a certain unit,but provision of the log information may not be performed by a certainunit. There may be a case where the amount of the log informationchanges in accordance with a circumstance. The log information is storedin the server 121 possessed by the service provider 120 as necessary(arrow (b) in FIG. 28A).

The service provider 120 arranges the log information into informationthat conforms to the service provided to the user and provides theinformation to the user. The user that is provided with the informationmay be the user 10 that uses or possesses the plural home electricalapparatuses 101 or may be an external user 20. In a providing method ofthe service to the user, for example, the service may directly beprovided from the service provider 120 to the user 10 or 20 (arrow (e)or (f) in FIG. 28A). Further, for example, the service may be providedto the user 10 while again passing through the cloud server 111 of thedata center operating company 110 (arrows (c) and (d) in FIG. 28A).Further, the cloud server 111 of the data center operating company 110may arrange the log information into information that conforms to theservice provided to the user and provide the information to a computerof the service provider 120.

The user 10 may be different from or the same as the user 20. Further,all of the plural home electrical apparatuses 101, the cloud server 110,and the server 121 do not need to be placed in the same country. Forexample, the plural home electrical apparatuses 101 may be placed inJapan, and the cloud server 111 and the server 121 may be placed in theUnited States. Alternatively, the opposite circumstance is possible. Ina case where at least one of the cloud server 111 and the server 121provides a result of analysis or the like by control (administration) bythe user 10 and the user may confirm the result of analysis by using thedisplay terminal such as PC, it may be considered that the user receivesbenefit in the country. Such a case may be considered to besubstantially same as a case where the system is placed in one country.

In a case where information that identifies the individual users 10 iscontained in collection of the log information (arrows (a) and (b) inFIG. 28A) and provision of the information (arrows (c), (d), (e), and(f) in FIG. 28A), the information is possibly abused. Thus, an operationis possible in which information that identifies the individual users 10such as name is not contained in the log information. In a case whereinformation that identifies the individual users 10 is contained, theapparatus that transmits the information may transmit encryptedinformation in order to prevent leakage of personal information.

7. Types of Cloud Service for Realizing Service Providing System

The techniques described in the above embodiments may be realized in thefollowing types of cloud services, for example. The types of the cloudservices are not limited to those.

7.1. Service Type 1: Own Company Data Center Type Cloud Service

FIG. 29 illustrates a general image of a service provided by a systemthat uses service type 1 (own company data center type cloud service).In this type, the service provider 120 obtains information from the usergroup 100 and provides a service to the user. In this type, the serviceprovider 120 has the function of the data center operating company. Thatis, the service provider 120 possesses a cloud server 203 that managesbig data. Thus, there is no data center operating company.

In this type, the service provider 120 operates and manages a datacenter (cloud server) 203. Further, the service provider 120 manages anoperating system (OS) 202 and an application 201. The service provider120 provides the service by using the OS 202 and the application 201that are managed by the service provider 120 (arrow 204).

7.2. Service Type 2: IaaS Using Type Cloud Service

FIG. 30 illustrates a general image of a service provided by a systemservice type 2 (IaaS using type cloud service). Here, IaaS stands forinfrastructure as a service and is a cloud service providing model thatprovides foundations themselves for configuring a computer system andcausing the computer system to work as a service via the Internet.

In this type, the data center operating company 110 operates and managesthe data center (cloud server) 203. Further, the service provider 120manages the OS 202 and the application 201. The service provider 120provides the service by using the OS 202 and the application 201 thatare managed by the service provider 120 (arrow 204).

7.3. Service Type 3: PaaS Using Type Cloud Service

FIG. 31 illustrates a general image of a service provided by a systemthat uses service type 3 (PaaS using type cloud service). Here, PaaSstands for platform as a service and is a cloud service providing modelthat provides a platform that serves as a basis for configuring softwareand causing the software to work as a service via the Internet.

In this type, the data center operating company 110 manages the OS 202and operates and manages the data center (cloud server) 203. Further,the service provider 120 manages the application 201. The serviceprovider 120 provides the service by using the OS 202 that is managed bythe data center operating company 110 and the application 201 that ismanaged by the service provider 120 (arrow 204).

7.4. Service Type 4: SaaS Using Type Cloud Service

FIG. 32 illustrates a general image of a service provided by a systemthat uses service type 4 (SaaS using type cloud service). Here, SaaSstands for software as a service. The SaaS using type cloud service is acloud service providing model that has a function by which a user suchas a company or an individual that does not possess the data center(cloud server) may use an application provided by a platform providerthat possesses the data center (cloud server) via a network such as theInternet, for example.

In this type, the data center operating company 110 manages theapplication 201 and the OS 202 and operates and manages the data center(cloud server) 203. Further, the service provider 120 provides theservice by using the OS 202 and the application 201 that are managed bythe data center operating company 110 (arrow 204).

As described above, the service provider 120 provides the service in anyof the types of cloud services. Further, for example, the serviceprovider or the data center operating company may itself develop the OS,the application, a database of big data, and so forth or may outsourcethose to a third party.

The techniques of the present disclosure are useful when the techniquesare realized as a service providing system that provides a cloud serviceby using log information of a home electrical apparatus.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information management method in aninformation management system that collects log information of one ormore apparatuses and provides information based on the log information,the information management method comprising: collecting the loginformation of the one or more apparatuses of a user via a network;generating display screen data that indicate a provision status of thelog information of the one or more apparatuses, the one or moreapparatuses corresponding to one or more service providers, the displayscreen data including information that configures one apparatus that isincluded in the one or more apparatuses, one service provider thatcorresponds to the one apparatus, and one kind of the log informationthat is output from the one apparatus as a group and displays aprovision status of the log information with respect to the group as aunit and a section by which whether or not provision of the loginformation is permissible is selectable with respect to the group asthe unit; providing the display screen data to a display terminal thatperforms access to the information management system via the network inresponse to the access to the information management system; receivinginformation that indicates that selection of permission, of whether ornot provision of the one kind of the log information of the oneapparatus that corresponds to the one service provider is permissible,is performed with respect to the group as the unit in a display screenbased on the display screen data from the display terminal via thenetwork; providing, to the display terminal via the network and in acase where a first determination is made that selection of refusal ofthe provision of the one kind of the log information of the oneapparatus that corresponds to the one service provider is performed withrespect to the group as the unit and a second determination is made thatthe provision of the log information is already started with respect tothe group in which the selection of refusal is performed, the displayscreen data that are regenerated such that display is made in a firstdisplay format which indicates that the log information is provideduntil a last date of a provision period of the log information that isset with respect to the group; and providing, to a computer of the oneservice provider via the network, the log information generated on andafter the provision start date.
 2. The information management methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the last date of the provision period isset based on a date which is input by the user via the display screendata.
 3. The information management method according to claim 1, whereinthe last date of the provision period is set based on a datepredetermined by the information management system.